The Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape is going to feature as a major hub in a £2m ground-breaking national art project, Nature Calling.
The project is funded by Arts Council England, the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) and National Landscapes in England.
Nature Calling is a first for National Landscapes because of its size, scope and the level of investment. It aims to inspire communities across England to connect with National Landscapes, increasing their access to nature, improving their wellbeing and inspiring a sense of belonging in these special places.
Nature Calling will bring together the 34 National Landscapes in England, local arts organisations and community groups from within a 30-minute journey time of their nearby National Landscape. They will work together to co-create artworks inspired by these iconic places and the results will then be shared with the public in a Season of Art from May to October 2025. It is expected that 70,000 people will take part.
National Landscapes are the UK’s nearby countryside. 66% of people in England (44 million) live within 30 minutes of a National Landscape, over 1 million people live within them and at least 170 million people visit every year. Nature Calling aims to encourage even more communities to feel welcome to enjoy these special places on their own terms.
The Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape will work with communities in the surrounding market towns in both East and West Lindsey Districts, Northeast Lincolnshire District and communities within the Wolds itself. The producing partner is Magna Vitae Trust for Leisure & Culture, who are a local charitable trust bringing culture to Lincolnshire’s communities.
John Watkins, Chief Executive of the National Landscapes Association, said: “The great thing about Nature Calling is that it’s a chance for new voices to interpret the National Landscapes of England in new ways. Arts Council England and Defra funding means we can deliver our first all-England arts programme with six National Landscape teams working with artists to celebrate these iconic places with a season of events in 2025.”
Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said: “Throughout time, our greatest artists have been inspired by England’s wonderful landscape. Now, we’re supporting a new generation of artists to bring to life their own awe-inspiring work in response to our natural environment. I’m excited to see what they will create.”
Nature Calling is a partnership project between the National Landscapes Association, Activate Performing Arts, Poetry School and 6 National Landscapes that will operate as key hubs of activity. Taking inspiration from National Landscapes, writers will start the creative process with words in the form of poetry, song, prose or rap for example. Using these words, local communities will work with artists to co-create their presentation piece for the Season of Art. This could include dance, theatre, installation, digital, or music.
Image: Stock.adobe.com/Gill
